Truck bolster



Aug. 27, 1929. w. B. GREGG 1,725,912

TRUCK BOLSTER Filed Feb. 28, 1928 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 27, 1929 UNITED STATES WILLIAM BURR GREGG, OF I-IACKENSACK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE GREGG PATENT OFFICE...

COMPANY, LIMITED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TRUCK BOLS'IER.

Application filed February 28, 1928. Serial No. 257,655.

This invention relates to truck bolsters for railway cars of the type having two beams extending the full length of the bolster, and the object thereof is to strengthen and otherwise improve the same.

In these bolsters, as heretofore constructed, the two beams, usually I-beams or channels, have been joined together throughout their length, or through portions only thereof, by top and bottom cover plates; and where extra strength was required the usual practice has been to secure it by the use of heavier beams or cover plates or both, thus increasing the depth of the bolster and thereby either raising the car frame or lowering the truck clearance or else necessitating a reduction in the length of the springs.

My present invention, by which I have obviated the above defects and at the same time obtain additional advantages, consists, briefly, in the substitution of a steel channel with downturned flanges for both or either of the cover plates.

The car frame is supported upon a central bearing secured to the top of the bolster, and the load of the car, transmitted through this bearing, normally stresses the bolster vertically. But at times, as for example when on the derailment of a car the wheels drop between two ties, the bolster and particularly its upper part or chord will be subjected to severe lateral stresses.

The substitution of a channel for the usual bottom cover plate gives to the bolster a greater effective depth and consequently greater strength per pound of material to thereby support its vertical load, and a somewhat greater strength to resist lateral stresses, without any increase in its actual depth which will require a shortening of the springs or else raise the car frame or lower the truck clearance.

The advantage of a channel for the top cover plate is that, while increasing somewhat the vertical strength, it adds very materially to the lateral strength of the bolster at the upper part thereof where strength is required to resist the stresses to which it is subjected in case of derailment.

A combination of these advantages is secured by the use of a channel for both top and bottom cover plates, the strength of the bolster being thus greatly increased not only as regards its ability to support vertical loading but also for withstanding the lateral stresses to which it may at any time be subjected.

A further, and by no means the least, advantage of the invention is that it permits the construction from standard of interchangeable parts of bolsters of varying character and strength, as required by customers, without substantial variations in its dimensions and so usable with large springs without affecting the height of the car frame or the clearance of the truck. I

The invention will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of a car truck equipped with a bolster embodying the several features of the invention, and Fig. 2 is a view showing the bolster itself in central vertical section. I

As here shown, 5 5 indicate the two I beams of the bolster, and 6 and 7 indicate respectively the upper and lowercover channels which are riveted to the upper and lower flanges of the two beams. The beams are further joined by vertical beam connectors 8; and the bolster, which rests at each end upon springs 12, is as usual provided on its sides with truck column guides 9 and on top with the usual or any suitable center bearing 10 and two side bearings 11, all riveted in place thereon.

WVhile it is contemplated that the channel covers will usually extend the full length. of

the beams, this is not essential, and, as in the case of the old cover plates, one or both may extend for a portion only of the length of the beams. The invention may be further modified in its several details, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the substantial advantages thereof.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A truck bolster comprising a plurality of beams joined and reinforced at the top by a channel member extending across the upper sides of the beams and with its flanges downturned outside the beams.

2. A truck bolster comprising a plurality of beams and a channel joined to and reinforcing the bottom flanges of the beams and with its own flanges extending downwardly therefrom.

8. A truck bolster comprising two beams extending the length thereof and joined top and bottom by channel cover plates with downturned flanges.

4:- A truck bolster comprising two I- 'beams extending the length thereof, top and bottom cover plates both of channel section With clownturned flanges joined to and reinforcing the beams, and a truck center bearing and tWo truck side bearings secured in place on the upper surface of the upper cover channel.

WILLIAM BURR GREGG. 

